Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on Monday said that the government will transform one crore family cards of the Trade Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) into smart cards in a serious bid to provide essential commodities to the lower income segment of people at reasonable prices.
Minister was addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 2nd phase TCB products selling program in the month of Ramadan and opening of a temporary warehouse of TCB products at Uttara in the capital.
Minister said already the piloting works of transforming TCT Cards into Smart Cards has already completed in Narayanganj, Dhaka City Corporation and Barishal. All the manual cards will be transformed into smartcard with QR codes.
"We all know that the commodity prices has increased across the globe after the Covid-19 crisis and then the Ukrain-Russia war that has impacted Bangladesh as well. In spite of all these, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has instructed to continue food supply at less costs among poor people", Minister added.
He said with the instruction of Prime Minister, food items are being supplied to one crore families who bear the TCB Family Card at a reasonable cost. Normally food items are distributed once a month but due to Ramadan its being distributed twice and there have target to complete distribution within 15th April"
Minister informed that there have sufficient storage of commodities. Comparing to many past years this year we are in a very strong position in supply and distribution of commodities.
Commerce MInistry Senior Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh attended the ceremony as special guest while TCB Chairman Brig. Gen. Ariful Hasan, DNCC Councillor Md. Afsar Uddin Khan were also present among others.
